Transition
by Zuzu136
Summary: Hermione finds out that she broke up with her boyfriend in the morning paper. To say Ron was never one to think things through is understatment. What happens when Draco, her fellow co-worker pushes her into action? Read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello! I am bringing up this new Dramione story, which I´ve somehow finished after long months of no inspiration for the ending. I hope you will like it. Let me know what do you think! I know that this motive was used many times before, but I kind of like it. Review!**

"Oi! This is fucking ridiculous!" exclaimed Hermione Granger and threw her cup of tea at the wall of her cubicle. She should be happy, solving her favourite riddles for living and having great fun afterwards with her boyfriend. Simply, that was not an option anymore. Yesterday her life was as it was supposed to look in everybody´s mind- picture perfect. She was Ministry employee, recently graduated from Hogwarts with flying marks, in relationship with Ronald Weasley and supposedly happy. Voldemort gone, Harry finally without life-threatening burden on his shoulders, everybody moving on a year after the Final Battle. Well, that was till yesterday.

This morning she woke up as usual, in strangely empty apartment, but she continued her newfound routine as every morning. Bathroom, breakfast, getting ready and go to work. She found it strange that people were looking at her more than usual, but she labelled it as nothing. The Daily Prophet, waiting on her desk in Unspeakable office, probably held another hero-story about the Golden Trio. Well, she was not so far from the truth.

As soon as she spotted her picture on the front page, as she sat down in her cubicle, she knew it will be bad. She spread the newspapers in front of her, with a cup of tea, as usual. Then the photo changed to photo of her supposed boyfriend, snogging some bimbo in the corner of The Three Broomsticks, and the second one laughing her heads off, with the title: Ronald Weasley off the hook! Hermione couldn´t believe her eyes.

_"__...Surprising guests showed up last night in the well-known establishment in Hogsmead. Mr. Ronald Weasley, our valiant war hero, was found having conversation with two beautiful young ladies. Our reporter Lavender Brown immediately hopped onto investigation. Mr. Weasley answered her questions about his latest relationship: ´Yeah, we broke up today. Well, you see, she was no fun at all. Hermione is the type of girl who would speak only about her books and work, always complaining,´ he stated. Miss Hermione Granger, another war heroin was in relationship with Mr. Weasley for over a year after the Final Battle. Apparently she couldn´t keep up with future Auror..."_

She skimmed through the article about how prudish she was and how bored Ron became in their relationship, so he broke up with her and here he was, available and having fun. Hermione found a new definition of anger. So she threw her cup at the wall.

"I see you saw the article," drawled a voice from behind her. Hermione turned around, even though she had already known who it was. The bane of her existence during the first six years at Hogwarts, co-Head during their final year and now her co-worker, the one and only Draco Malfoy.

"Yes," Hermione curtly replied. Draco smirked. How he loved to rile her up, she was so cute with her red cheeks and death glares.

"So you two broke up last night?" he asked innocently.

"Apparently," Hermione drawled dangerously. Draco held his hands up, surrendering. He knew when to stop now. Hermione´s punch in third years was still a painful memory for him. Draco studied her for a minute, while Hermione fought with her temper.

"Oh, come on! It pains me to admit, but you deserves much better! He is an arse; I´ve never liked him and never will. Weasel doesn´t even know how properly break up with you, so he have done the worst thing imaginable- went to press. Now, breathe and think! What are you going to do with him?" Draco perched at the end of her table nonchalantly.

Hermione knew he was right. She even knew that her relationship with Ron was disaster. They fought from the beginning, they had nothing in common; he was needy and wanted to go further than she was comfortable with. She had chosen the easiest path after their spontaneous kiss during the Battle- she just went with it. Her feeling for Ron had changed, overcoming the teenage crush almost instantly, and even more during their last year at Hogwarts. He was possessive, showing her off like some trophy. He wanted to be with her all the time, Hermione had to hide herself in her Head Dorms more than once, just to have a few moments for herself.

Despite everything, she wanted it to work. She went to see his Quidditch practices during term, she learned with him when he struggled, she listened to his bragging about unimportant stuff, she even endured few horrible dinners at the Burrow where Molly was planning a double wedding for her and Ron and Harry with Ginny. Hell, she even slept with him! But apparently it was not enough for Ronald Weasley. He obviously didn´t want them to work and didn´t love her like he said just yesterday morning. Hermione´s little happy bubble broke. And she was angry. No, scratch that- she was beyond furious. She had done everything and he went out with some bimbo, gets caught by Lavender Brown and proceed to tell the whole Magical community that they are over, without her knowing! He made a prudish fool of her! Oh, he is going to pay!

"That´s the spirit Granger! I know that look! Oh, how I am going to enjoy this! I am coming with you," Draco exclaimed overly happy, almost clapping his hands like a five-year -old. He could see the wheels in her brain turning and he clearly saw her decision. He knew her, she was all nice and goody-two-shoes when you were in her good grades. But only few people knew she had a vindictive side. And he loved it!

"I don´t care what you do, Draco, I am about to made him squirm. But on the other hand, I think it might be good if you could come with me. You are one of the people Ronald really cannot stand. Seeing you cooperating with me during our Heads business in school riled him up so much. Besides, you are probably the only one around here capable of stopping me from murdering him outright," she smiled deviously. Hermione stood up, straightened the wrinkles in her perfectly fitting black skirt and went straight to the Auror office. She was now, along with Draco, full-fledged Unspeakable, Harry an Auror and Ronald still in training, since he failed his entry tests on the first try two weeks ago. Ron didn´t know she worked with Draco yet, since he never asked her about her work, only bragged about how unfair everybody was to him during the training, even Harry.

"Oh, you flattered me! Mia, you can be very evil when you want," Draco smiled at her softly. She just rolled her eyes. Ever since they were paired as Head Girl and Boy last September, they left their past in behind and formed a friendship. Only Harry and Blaise knew actually about it, but they had many things in common and grew kind of close during the past year.

As Hermione, with smirking Draco at her heels, strolled through the halls of the Ministry, many people jumped away. She was a war hero with murderous look on her face after-all. She proceeded to burst into the middle of the Aurors office, down to the training room, wands first. Blaise Zabini and few other recruits (that were not given a chance to pass the tests right after the school like the Golden Trio were) in training raised an eyebrow and moved aside swiftly.

"Errr... Mione... hi?" shuddered Ron as she saw her. Her pose screamed that he was in trouble. Draco stepped besides Blaise and they smirked at each-other. Harry came to them right after.

"Hi? Hi? Is that all you can say, Ronald?" she responded sarcastically and aimed her wand at him. When she was mad, she screamed. Bud when she was in rage, her posture was deadly calm, like right now. Ron gulped.

"Mione, it was not like that! Lavender made it all up!" he pleaded, but Hermione was not convinced. She knew that Lavender Brown was not so daft to publish something like this without further evidence. Hermione not only knew her secret, an unregistered werewolf, since the new legislations haven´t passed yet, but also as an Unspeakable with unlimited resources and countless books with all hexes and curses imaginable at disposal, she could be dangerous. Lavender Brown may be attention seeking wench, but she knew better.

"Oh, so you weren´t snogging in completely public place yesterday? With two bimbos at once? Saying I am prude and we broke up to them?" Hermione asked calmly.

"Well you see, we were kind of growing apart for a while and I thought..." Ron started and Draco snickered from behind. This was so amusing!

"You thought? Did it hurt?" she mocked him. "I have done everything to make it work, but it was obviously not enough for the mister all-perfect, was it?" she screeched.

"It is not like that Mione!" He started to sound whiny. She cringed at the thought. He was being cowardly little boy, wanting to hide behind his mother. She could picture it in her mind vividly.

"So tell me how it is?" Hermione asked with all the seriousness. Ron looked around. He knew he had no chance to escape. From the looks he received he knew he was lucky not to have broken nose already, or even worse.

"I... well... I need to have fun! And you are so bloody bossy when we are together, you don´t let me live with you and... I´ve got needs!" he shouted at last.

"You are pathetic and dumber than I thought Weasel, if it is even possible," drawled Draco and came to Hermione´s side. Her wand-hand was trembling and he knew that she was seconds from hexing Weasley into oblivion. Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "Mia, calm down," he added just for her to hear. She silently nodded.

"Sod off ferret, you should be rotting in Azkaban! Harry, do something!" Ron was losing it. When nobody came to his side he turned once again to Hermione. Harry was looking disappointed in him.

"Mione, what is he doing in here? I don´t like how close to you he is! Why is he touching you?!" he exclaimed in high-pitched voice.

"You´ve lost the right to like or dislike anything about me the moment you went behind my back, only hours after you told me you love me! Draco is my co-worker and friend!" only Draco´s hand on her shoulder was restraining her from attacking. His right to be a free man was a touchy subject. Many people held a grudge for his father´s decisions, even when he helped the Order in the end.

"Now listen to me and listen carefully, because I am not about to repeat myself! WE ARE OVER. Once and for good, not because you told the press so, but because I am over you. I´ve tolerated you far too long. When I get home, I want you to have all your things packed from my apartment and every piece of your presence in my life gone. I will be removing you from my wards and you are no longer welcomed anywhere near me, are we clear?" She asked and left, leaving astounded Aurors and on-lookers behind.

"Granger, fancy a drink?" said Draco, when he caught up with her. Hermione nodded and let him apparate them away, trusting his intentions. Being able to apparate from and to any place at Ministry was one of the perks of being Unspeakables.

"Is this your place?" she asked astonished, when she recovered a little. Taking in her surrounding in loft apartment with modern furniture and the best muggle technology, she was clearly surprised.

"Yeah, got it right after the war, just to learn more about muggle lifestyle. My mother has similar place, near aunt Andromeda," he replied casually and proceeded to make them coffee. He knew she preferred coffee to tea, with one sugar, just like he.

"It's amazing," Hermione said dreamily as she scanned the vast collection of books in the living room. Draco loved all kind of books.

"I see that you´ve found my library. I have more in my study, and the rest of the Manor´s library is at my mother´s and in our Gringrotts vaults. We took the place down, there was too many bad memories, but these books had real value," he put a cup in her hands and she smiled gratefully.

"You never cease to surprise me, Draco," she shook her head. When she boarded the Hogwarts Express and found him in the Head compartments, she was less than enthusiastic about him. But they´ve found their routine and came to an agreement never to let their past to cloud the present.

"Hermione? Draco? You here?" shouted Blaise.

"Yeah, living room, you nosy wanker," replied Draco and laughed. From the hall emerged the tall figure of Blaise Zabini, closely followed by no other than Harry.

"Malfoy, do you happen to have some ice?" he asked innocently with the whole sheepish expression on his face and all.

"Ice? Harry, why do you need ice?" Hermione asked surprised. She looked him up and down with disapproving stare, when she noticed his appearance was kind of ruffled.

"Our hero here punched your ex in the face when you left, fucking amazing right hook, I must say," Blaise snickered. Draco chuckled at the mental image of Potter and Waesley in the fight.

"Harry, you didn´t have to!" Hermione shouted and inspected his right arm.

"Yes, I did. You are my best friend and he never deserved you in the first place. Now I finally see how he really is, he deserted us so fucking many times... Mia, you are my baby sister, even though I am younger, I won´t let anyone to hurt you, not even my supposed best friend. He had it coming," Harry defended his actions seriously and received a big hug in return.

"Catch, Potter!" Draco threw him a bag with ice-cubes.

"Thanks. Nice place, by the way," he smirked. Draco merely nodded his head and sat back on the sofa. With legs perched on the table he motioned them to sit as well.

"So, Firewhiskey?" Hermione asked innocently, with desperate undertone in her voice. She needed to numb her brain a little. Three pair of eyebrows went high. Hermione stared at them for a second.

"As lady wishes," Draco waved his wand and four full glasses appeared.

"To single life!" "To no commitments!" "To new friends!" "Screw our ex-s!" they shouted cheers in unison and drowned their first shot. Harry explained them that Kingsley saw the whole accident and excused them from work for a day. Draco provided unlimited stock of alcohol, Blaise his double-meaning jokes and Hermione was finally having a great fun. She didn´t truly remember how the evening ended, how Harry fell asleep on the floor or how she found herself tangled in Draco´s bed, fully clothed with Blaise´s and Draco´s arms around her waist. Not that it really mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

"Miss Granger! Miss Granger! Just one question!" shouted another journalist at her. They somehow found the address of her apartment and she had to fight her way through them. She was sick and tired of the polite smiles she had to give, pitying stares and hateful words she had to endure in remaining two working days of the week after her break-up. Reporters followed her everywhere; people were divided between siding with Ronald or her.

Hermione sat tiredly on her sofa. Her apartment was half-empty. Without Ron´s things it looked like she just moved in. She had purchased the flat after her parents were settled back in their home and things were looking brighter, during the Easter. Ron wanted to move right in after graduation, but she refused, it was too early. But he still managed to move almost all his things in. Now they were gone, and she was glad for that.

"Oh, bollocks!" she shut the fridge back. There was literally nothing, with the Ron-fiasco and particularly nasty cursed object she was inspecting in work, she had no time for shopping. "Great, another take-away dinner!" she muttered to herself.

"Granger! Moping again?" snickered someone from her fireplace. She got to the living room and there in the flames was an aristocratic face of Draco. Was he saving her from embarrassingly lonely evening again?

"Ha-ha, very funny, what do you want?" she asked like he was bothering her. But truth was she was glad he called. It was Friday night and she had nothing to do, nowhere to go, not even food to make a decent dinner!

"I was hoping you could join me. I frankly do not wish to spent another evening alone or drinking with Blaise," he sighed. Admitting that he was not welcomed in society, that everywhere he goes there was people silently cursing his existence, was hard for him. But he will restore the name Malfoy, he just needs time. And some company before he goes mad.

"Give me five minutes," she said and saw the trademark smirk of his. With a shake of her head she disappeared behind the bedroom doors to change from her office clothes to something more comfortable.

"You meant it when you said five minutes," Draco smiled as he opened his door. He was positively surprised that it didn´t take her an hour like most women. But then he looked his companion up and down in her tight jeans and loose t-shirt. This was Hermione- always true to her word. He motioned her to come inside, since she had apparated at his doorsteps.

"I am surprised you haven't apparated straight in," he smirked after a minute.

"It is considered rude," she raised an eyebrow at him. She didn´t know how to react. Sure, she worked with him now and she lived with him during their last year at Hogwarts, but she was not sure what was appropriate and what was not.

"Try to explain that to Blaise, he comes and goes as he pleases," Draco laughed at the prospect of someone teaching Blaise manners. He was a true aristocrat, all high and mighty when it comes to public, but a real moron around his friends.

"I will," she smiled at the loose atmosphere that surrounded them. They were comfortable around each other. Hermione could be the real her around him, a little bossy bookworm with a streak for adventure and unmistakable bushy hair. Draco could be the handsome aristocrat with slightly outdated manners and undisputable stigma of family name without prejudice. They´ve seen each other at their worst and best moments, there was no pretending between the two of them.

"This is nice," commented Hermione after the fist glass of white wine, some movie making the background for their evening tonight.

"What is?" asked Draco, surprised that she was not watching the TV with the rapt attention as she used to in the past.

"This... The silence, the comfort; the easiness... us..." she voiced her thoughts. Draco was surprised. She was not so direct with him before. He knew she was stressed these past days. They´ve had some pretty bad cases of curse objects and the whole with-hunt the journalist were making out of her break-up was ridiculous, but he didn´t know that she was taking it so hard. He always saw her as unmovable rock that solidified the Golden Trio. Even after two years that he was closer to her, he could not imagine Hermione without her being strong. She was the best person he knew.

They fell asleep together on the sofa in Draco´s living room. Draco was never the one for cuddle, but somehow he draped his arms around Hermione in his sleep and didn´t let go till he woke up the next morning. Hermione was never one for open displays of affection, but when she found herself in Draco´s arms, she felt content for the first time in a very long time.

"That was one hell of a mission!" exclaimed Draco quite cheerily when they dropped their gear in the Unspeakable offices. Retrieving some ancient relics required occasionally two or more people and this was one of them.

"If you say so..." Hermione shook her head disbelievingly. They were both pretty exhausted, beaten and he was smiling like a loony. She went to bathroom to change into spare clothes she kept in her cubicle for these kind of situations. When she emerged, Draco was already waiting, leaning on her desk nonchalantly.

"Come to dinner with me," he said. It was not a question, not an option, he simply ordered her. She bristled for a second, but then she saw the expression on his face that held many different emotions at once as he was studying her, and simply nodded. Draco really appreciated how the white blouse was complimenting her perfect figure. Tight black jeans, not really office-appropriate were big plus as well. He outstretched his hand and apparated them away.

The small Italian restaurant was tucked in nice London neighbourhood. Draco led the way and it was obvious this was not his first visit. He navigated her with his hand on her back. As a true gentleman he pulled her chair before seating himself. Hermione studied the restaurant a little. Being aware of her surroundings, all the time, was the by-product of the past adventures and the war.

"What can I get you dears?" nice older lady with slight accent asked them Hermione ordered fettuccine with chicken pieces and Draco farfale carbonara and some white wine for them. They conversed about trivial things, avoided the heavy topics like plague.

Hermione was having great time. As she ate, she thought about the past three months. The journalist were no longer hunting her down, but she got occasional question about how she feels about that or other latest bimbo Ron was seen with. Surprisingly she was not bothered at all. She knew how he always wanted be in the centre of attention. And as harry and her hated it. Harry was great after the break-up, he had spent more time with her, even got her to go with him for one charity event as Ginny was out of town with her Quidditch team. Her life was finally settling down from the hustle and bustle of post-war euphoria. Her parents were back in England as well, still little peeved with her, but happy to have her back.

She looked at Draco, who was finishing up his meal. His upbringing was noticeable in his every move, but somehow she didn´t found it irritable as back in the school. He was true gentleman and a great friend. Draco worked hard to gain his position in the Ministry, he didn´t have to work, but he wanted to prove he was changed. Hermione smiled at him when their eyes met.

Their meals finished, the comfortable silence spread once again. It was somehow never weird between them. In their last year as Heads they've found the routine around each other and worked as great team.

"Granger, go out with me," blurted Draco suddenly. Hermione raised eyebrow.

"I believe we are out, Draco," she emphasized his first name a little. But she knew some habits die hard. Draco took a deep breath to gather his wits.

"I mean, go out with me on a date, as my girlfriend," he was looking at her unsurely. Now was not the time for his cockiness. "I know that I am not a perfect man, but with you, I am better. We are great team and I would be honoured if you gave me chance," the sincerity between his words brought tears to her eyes.

"Draco, you are one of the most amazing people I know, you´ve come the long way. Yes, I will go out with you!" she smiled at him. Draco stood and before she knew it, he was kissing her- sweetly, slowly, but passionately all the same. Now she knew why people talked about butterflies in the stomach and how the world ceases to exist for a little while. They broke their kiss and brown eyes met grey.

"Do you know what are you doing to me Granger?" he asked huskily. Hermione laughed.

"I could ask the same thing, Malfoy," she shook her head with fondness.

"If you won´t hurry up, you´re going to be late! James would be upset if you would miss his birthday party," Hermione ruffled the blonde hair of her son Scorpius. Strong arms encircled her torso from behind. Scorpius took a pinch of floo powder and threw it. The green flames engulfed him and with the "Potter Mansion!" he disappeared.

"Bye mum!" her daughter hugged her one last time and approached the fireplace as well.

"Be good and keep an eye on those troublemakers Cassie," Draco said to her. Cassiopea wawed them and was out as well.

"House is finally ours, oh wife of mine," Draco kissed her neck languidly. Hermione moaned a little and turn around in his arms.

"I believe, we should make the most of it, oh husband of mine," she joked right back.

When Hermione in next years looked back at how her life changed throughout the years, she somehow couldn´t believe how lucky she was after all. She was top researcher between Unspeakables, her best friend Harry was Head Auror now, was a godmother to little Potters, reconciled her sketchy friendship with Ron and somehow in all the madness they encountered in their lives, she found her happiness with the least expected person of it all- Draco Malfoy, who gave her two little joys. She would not trade a single thing for what she had.

**AN: Review please! I know this second part is not that great, but I hope it is not herrendous... ;)**


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